Professional Partnerships With Families

In this unit university students will be introduced to the nature of complex communication requirements associated with families who have a child with a disability. University students will explore a range of student support services and communication models offered by schools and community organizations that intend to support the needs of families who have a child with a disability. University students will also develop knowledge of the development of Individual Learning Plans (ILPs) that assist parents and allied professionals to work in collaborative communicative spaces. Professional Partnerships that build positive relationships, community connectedness and that maximize positive experiences of learning will be examined and critiqued. This unit will also provide university students with knowledge of the role of integration aides in special education and mainstream classroom settings.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:

1. Inquire into the concept of families and the value of a social ecological model in relation to how families deal with disability;
2. Articulate an understanding of communication protocols between families and school systems that support the needs of families who have a child with a disability;
3. Critique and inquire into how professional partnerships involving support services, including integration aides, support families who have a child with a disability; and
4. Investigate the development of Individual Learning Plans (ILPs) and their role in supporting students and their families in disability contexts.